Anode for electroplating-cells.



No. 850,823. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907. G. M. ELLIOTT.

ANODE FOR ELECTROPLATING CELLS. IAPILIOATION FILED MAY 7, 190a.

Inventor:

, b y w Attyg which the following is a full, clear, and comouthereafter-in this specification.

correspond totthe size of the cell.

. from which are the series of teeth or columns 2 of the anode has alsobeen necessar 1n ada ting previous cuit an .sim lo, and efficientmanner.

fo lowing specification and to the accom- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" GEORGE M. ELLIOTT, OFBELVIDERE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ZUOKER &

' LEVETT & LOEB COMPANY, OF NEW,'YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANODE FOR .ELE CTHOPLATlNG-OELLS- Patented April 16, 1907.

To all whom it may concern: 4 Be it known that I, GEORGE M. ELLIOTT, acitizen" of the UnitedStates, residing at Belvidere, Boone county,Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAnodes forElectroplating-Oells, of

plete disclosure.

The object of my invention is to provide an anode for cells used inelectro lating processes, suchanode bein light 1n construction,inexpensive, readi y adaptable to different-sized cells, and of the bestwearing qualities. 'Other' advanta es of mylimproved anode will be moreefinitely pointed Heretofore in the construction inf-anodes forelectroplating purposes it has usually been necessary to use a largequantity of metal, such as nickel, in order to obtain the necessarysurface that is in contact with the electrolyte or electroplatingsolution.- It

forms of anodes to ce ls of erent sizes to provide se arate patterns forcasting the anode, so t at the size af the anode htt as also been foundthat if the portion. of the anode in contact with the electrolyte bemade too small the action of the electrolyte upon the anode causing thesame to be eaten awayhas reduced the sizeof the anode, so that partsthereof have dropped off, thereby becomin disconnected from the electricciralso tending to short-circuit the flow of current from theanode tothe cathode or to the articles being electroplated. These difficulties Ihave overcome m a successful,

or a full, clear, and exact descri tion of m invention reference may beha to the panying drawings, forming a part thereof, in

7-. .Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved anode. Figs. 2 to .5,inclusive, are cross-sectional views of different forms of Referring toFig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates' a transverse bar or head,dependingper-side of the ead or bar 1 are a plurality plroper. Attached to theupa plate either with of ears or lugs by which the anode may besuspended within the electro lating-cell. It s ouldbe noted that theteet or columns 2 of the anode are slightly tapering toward their lowerends, as indicated in Fi 1, the taper being shown in said figure sli tlyexa gerated to more'clearl indicate 51c same.

T e cross-sectional outline of these teeth is shown in Fi 1 to becircular; but I do not .deslre to be imited to this form, as thecrosssectlonal outline may be varied in accordance with the diflt'erentconditions of use and the choice of the erson employing the anode forelectrop lating purposes. Of course it is understood that the circularform of teeth gives the smallest area for each individual tooth,although this is much greater than in the case-where the whole anode ismade rectangular or in the shape of flat surfaces or corrugatedsurfaces. v

In .Figs. 2 to 5 I have shown in section different forms of teeth orcolumns which may be used in place of the circular form, these formsbeing triangular, octagonal, starshaped, and rectangular, respectively.These different forms of teeth give different amounts of surface inrelation to the weight of the anode itself, althoughany of them whenused in an anode having a plurality ofcolumns give much more surfacethan a plate or single prism havin plain or corru,

gated surfaces. All of the ifierent forms of these teeth, as illustratedin the different views just referred to, are made slightly tapering, asindicated .in Fig. 1. This tapering "feature allows the teeth of theanode to'be reduced in diameter by the action of the electrolyte withoutdanger of having the teeth break or become detached at points interme-.diate. their lengths, which would permit. the parts so detached to dropinto the bottom of the cell, and-thereby possibly short-circuit thecurrent between the anode and the articles being plated, or at leastmake such detached parts inactive by being disconnected from thecircuit. By connecting the teeth by the head or bar as indicated thewidth of the anode ma be decreased by simply cutting or breaklng of therequired len th of the bar carrying a co'rresponding-num er of teeth,and any number of teeth may be added by simply lengthening the patternfor casting the anode by adding a piece carrying the requisite number ofaddltional teeth. This obviates the necessity of providing a se aratepattern for the different sizes of an- 0 es in differentcells. Theconstruction just described not only cheapens the cost ofmanufacturingthe anode, but also provides an anode which has many advantages overthose already in use, as hereinbefore pointed out.

It isobvious that I should not be restricted to the use of a singletransverse connectingbar, as a plurality of such bars may be used if itis desired to mcrease the strength of the portions connecting the teeth.It is also obvious that the columns or teeth may be cast hollow topermit of a still lighter construction, and they may be grooved withinas well as on the exterior surfaces. They also could be perforated witha series of transverse holes. All of these features could be arranged inthe pattern and cast in the anode. These different forms would not varythe principle of the teeth or slotted feature of the anode;

Other changes may be made by one fagrotect by Letters Patent of theUnited tates, is

An anode forelectroplating-cells, comprising a series ofslightly-tapering teeth or columns, a severab e transverse barconnecting said teeth at one end, all of said parts being 1 I integraland composed of a pure metal to be deposited on the cathode or articleto be plated.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two witnesses, this 2d day of May, 1906.

GEORGE M. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

JAMES V. BROWN,

MAYME AsKIN.

